SATURDAY: Solarte will receive a $7.5MM guarantee, Fan Rag’s Robert Murray tweets. He’ll get a $250K signing bonus, $2.5MM next season and $4MM in 2018. In addition, the options will be worth $5.5MM and $8MM, with a $750K buyout attached to each. (Heyman tweeted information about the signing bonus and buyouts.)
FRIDAY: The Padres have announced a two-year deal with infielder Yangervis Solarte. He’ll pick up guaranteed money for the next two seasons while giving the club a pair of options for the 2019 and 2020 campaigns.
It’s an unusual contract structure for the 29-year-old, who was eligible for arbitration for the first time as a 3+ service-class player. The options will cover his final season of arb eligibility and one would-be free agent campaign.
Solarte had been projected by MLBTR to earn $2.7MM through the arb process, but he was set to earn a bit more. He filed at $3.2MM with the team countering at $2.8MM, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweeted. But that never seemed likely to matter, as various reports suggested that a lengthier arrangement was in the works.
The contract comes on the heels of a year in which Solarte posted a career-best .286/.341/.467 batting line with 15 home runs over 443 plate appearances. He has hit at better than the league-average rate in every one of his three MLB campaigns since emerging as a surprisingly useful player as a minor-league signee of the Yankees.
Though Solarte has typically drawn average or slightly below average grades for his glovework, he’s capable of playing both second and third base and has also seen a bit of time at shortstop and the corner outfield. That makes him a versatile piece for San Diego, which has a variety of options but little in the way of sure things in its current infield depth chart.
Solarte joins first baseman Wil Myers in securing multi-year deals from the Padres today. While his is surely to come in well shy of the $80MM+ that Myers is reportedly set to receive, it’ll add to the future obligations of an organization that had nothing on its future books except for salary owed to previously traded players.
First Wil Myers and now Solarte, smart moves by the team to show we are not going to sell off anymore big pieces and assure the fans they are going in the right direction.
Also helps the upset chargers fans so they know the other SD team cares
Yeah. It’s possible. As a former San Diegan, I know that their sports fans are more forgiving than the fans in other major league sports cities.
Not sure why Solarte felt the need to do this. He was guaranteed around $3 mil this year so he only picked up one year of financial security while giving up a free agent year in the form of a team option? Very strange move from the player/agent’s perspective.
Solarte is a recently widowed Dad with three young daughters, so financial security is particularly important to him. I’d need to see the dollar amounts before commenting further.
That is very tragic, although he barely picks up any security (literally only his 2018 salary since he was guaranteed at least $2.8 mil this year), while giving up a year of free agency in the form of a team option. If this was 4 guaranteed years I would maybe understand, but he would be risking very little if he just went through the arb process instead of taking this deal.
Now that the numbers come out the “Barely picks up any security” equals $4 million.
Which is what he would have gotten if the Padres had tendered him a contract a year from now anyway. And they would have tendered him a contract if he remained relatively productive.
He probably just wants to guarantee his kids will be taken care of for the rest of their lives. Not surprising given the tragedy he just went through.
He was already set to make around $3 mil this year and was protected with Fantex… There is almost no security in this deal (only his 2018 salary) while he gave the team two options including one free agent year. Unless there’s something missing in the story this is is very strange deal from Solarte’s perspective.
Seems like the Padres have their core now — Myers at 1B, Solarte at 3B, Margot in CF, Renfroe in LF, and Hedges at C.
Possibly Spangenberg as well.
2B is probably Schimpf’s to lose. He has the potential to hit 30+ home runs.
I like Schimpf too but Spangenberg is only 25, former 1st round pick and played well in his one full season. I think the Padres move Schimpf if he proves last year wasn’t a fluke.
With all the ground ball pitchers we are accumulating both in the majors and on the farm, I don’t see us sticking with a defensive liability at 2B. Schimpf didn’t hit for average, his power numbers were an outlier for his career, and at 29 there is little chance he will repeat those numbers. He is the perfect bench player. A guy who can start occasionally at 2B, 3B and maybe even 1B and come off the bench with power. Get 300-350 AB and hit 15-20 HR off the bench. By mid 2018 Urias will be manning 2B if Spangenberg doesn’t stay healthy.
as good as Hedges was in AAA, he still has quite a bit to prove in the majors
He’s going to turn 30 this season. I don’t see Solarte as a core part of a young team that may not contend for three or four years.
There’s always space for a third baseman with an .808 OPS
His point is that he probably wont still have an .808 ops when they are good.
I have more faith in Solarte than you, but if that is the case then we can just decline his options.
Might wanna pump the breaks on calling that a core. Margot, hedges and renfroe had less than 40 pas a piece last year
Wasn’t solarte part of that group of players that sold themselves on future earnings or something like that when they were given money up front?
Yep. Company name is Fantex, and he did it earlier this year.
So he already has security with Fantex and still signed this deal? He needs a new agent…
He has to pay that money back with interest. It’s like a loan
While his wife was going through cancer treatments, Solarte got $3.15 million upfront from Fantex in April 2016 for 11% of his earnings from 2016-2022. He might earn $30 million over that stretch, but to get that much guaranteed money is something that allows you to live a comfortable life even if you never play another game. Pretty good deal for him all around. Now with this new contract, he will get somewhere between $7 and $10 million guaranteed plus two option years that are probably $7-10 million each if he continues to play well. I think this new contract is a great deal for him in terms security and stability for his family.
If he continues to play well he would have made a lot more by waiting out arbitration. If he gets injured or regresses in 2018, he probably breaks even. If he gets injured or regresses in 2017, he loses whatever this contract is paying him in 2018 and nothing more by waiting out arbitration. This contract only gives him security and stability that he wouldn’t have had otherwise in one of those scenarios. You can decide for yourself what the odds of each scenario are but I’m confident that Solarte can at least come close to his 2016 production in the upcoming season.
2018 is guaranteed at $4 million and then a $750k buyout of the option. A total of $4.75 million if he never plays another day after 2017. You should read the article.
IF? Nothing is guaranteed in life. You can ask Solarte about that one. 29 years old with 3 young daughters and his wife died of cancer.
Of the 101 professional players that retired last year, 62, including 15 major leage players, did so because of injury. They ranged in age from 22-39. You can ask them about guarantees in life.
When you have a shot to get money today that will set up your family for generations and give them stability after a terrible situation like Solarte’s wife’s death, instead of taking a chance on the possibility you could make $3-4 million more later IF you stay healthy and IF you continue to play at a high level, you take the money now every time. Solarte played 109 games last year. He missed considerable time on the DL as well as a few games when his wife died. If he played only 109 games in 2017, he would not be getting a raise to $4 million in arbitration for 2018 or the possibility of making $13.5 million over the next 2 years.
It’s easy for Ryan the kid who lives in his mom’s garage to say that Solarte should have turned down security for the rest of his life and his children’s lives in order to possibly earn a few million more if he stays healthy. It’s was obviously also an easy decision for Solarte to make to take the money.
Likely what he was going to get anyway. Sure this contract does give him more guaranteed money now but not that much more. If going the arbitration route wouldn’t have secured him and his children for the rest of their lives, neither will this. It would make more sense if he got an extra guaranteed year or two.
But mentally challenged individuals such as yourself don’t get this. Not today and probably not ever.
I like this so very much
Nothing not to like for Padres fans
Wait, you said you didn’t like this.
I like it from my own point-of-view and from the Padres FO’s point-of-view. I don’t like it from Solarte’s point-of-view.
Why would the Yankees trade this guy I never wanted headley on the yanks they should have never done this trade
Hated that trade then and still do today.
Puzzling deal. They’re paying for all his post-30 years; a slow guy with below-average defense doesn’t seem like a guy you lock up through his age-34 season, possibly. I suppose if he puts up another 2-win season like he did last year there’s some trade value, but he’s not really a good third baseman and he doesn’t really hit enough to play anywhere else.
Huh? They already had him for 3 more years and now they get a team option for a 4th year… This is nothing but good for the Padres. Not sure how adding a team option could ever be considered “puzzling”.
I guess mostly because he’s 30 next season and I’m not sure why they’re bothering with him. He seems like a guy they should look to trade while his value is highest.
This contract actually makes him even more valuable in trades if Preller chooses to go that route, although if I’m Solarte this extension better come with a no-trade clause.
Yeah, having Solarte under control for 4/20.25m with only 7.5m being guaranteed…. his trade value just got a nice boost. He’ll play the first half of year four as a 32 year old.
His walk rate has gone down each year as his strikeout rate has gone up. Normally those are negatives, but for Solarte he’s hitting for more power with the trade off (.109 ISO in ’14, .158 in ’15, .180 on ’16). If you can put up a .180, play average defense, and strikeout only 14% of the time, you’re a pretty good player. Everything is relative. If striking out 14% in your worst strikeout % year… again, you’re a pretty good player.
This is a great move for everyone. I think both parties felt that they had a good thing going together. Solarte brings a contagious fire to the team, and he’s developed into an even better player than they thought they had two years ago.
Postponing his date with free agency for a year in exchange for an additional 4.5m guaranteed today is probably a lot different for Solarte and what his family has gone through than any other current big leaguer. Good job for Preller for getting that great deal put together for all parties.
An additional 4.5m that he was 99% going to get anyway
Yeah I agree the two team options is a lot of control and sort of makes him an interesting trade piece if they want to go that route. It’s a great move on both sides really.
Not on both sides. All Solarte gets out of this is his 2018 contract guaranteed (which if he continued to play well he would have been tendered a contract anyway). I don’t know how much money this deal is for yet but so far it is looking like a complete steal for the Padres while Solarte just gets guaranteed something he 99% would have gotten anyway.
Yup. Ryan gets it. Unless there’s some detail yet to be announced, this is a major win for the Padres.
If he gets hurt, he would not have any guaranteed money. Nothing in life is 99% guaranteed and he has had injuries 2 of the last 3 years. Now at least the guy knows that he has money coming even if he gets hurt unless the Padres go out of business.
The only guaranteed money he has that he didn’t have 24 hours ago is whatever this contract is paying him in 2018. And if he were to repeat what he did in 2016 or even come close to it this upcoming season that money would have been guaranteed anyway.
Why does nobody get it? Everyone is acting like he just got a ton of security from this deal, when in reality he probably only guranteed himself a few extra million dollars while costing himself tens of millions. Again, unless there are other details yet to come which is certainly possible.
Solarte of all people knows that nothing in life is guaranteed. He’s 4.5m richer today than he would be playing it out. His 8m salary covering his 1 free agent year, is about what you’d expect from a player of Solarte’s ilk giving up one year of free agency three years in advance. The 2+2 structure is unique, and Preller is bright enough to know that Solarte was in a unique position to sign such a deal.
Your point stands if you remove human nature from the equation and think only dollar and cents. Solarte is something of an enlightened man. He’s willing to make sacrifices for the greater good.
This deal doesn’t guarantee Solarte anything that he wasn’t already going to get (or wasn’t already very likely to get). If I were him I would have asked for those last two years to be guaranteed or for a NTC.
Dude can flat out hit and is a serviceable defender at 3rd base. Plus this contract only contains two guaranteed years (years in which he 99% would have been tendered contracts for anyway) and then two club option years. This contract is pure upside for the team. The only person this contract is puzzling for is Solarte himself, he gave up quite a bit of potential money down the road only to have his 2018 contract guaranteed, especially if this deal doesn’t contain some kind of no-trade protection.
He’s about to be on the wrong side of 30 and I’m not sure what his role is on a rebuilding team. He had a decent season with the bat in 2016 but his power isn’t anything special – 5 of his homers were of the “just enough” variety according to HT data – and the defense is below average to average at best.
He can’t play anywhere else in the infield because he’s just so slow. The bat doesn’t play in the outfield. I agree the contract probably makes him a tradeable asset but I don’t see too many contending teams in need of a third baseman.
His role on a rebuilding team is filling a position where we don’t have much depth at and being a positive veteran presence in the clubhouse. Home runs aren’t the end-all-be-all of offensive stats. Solarte also knows how to take a walk, doesn’t strike out much and the contact he makes is solid. And by definition, if the contract “probably makes him a tradeable asset” then this is a good move for the team.
He is a better 2B than 3B and he is decent at 3B. He also played 1B in about 30 games last 2 seasons.
He drew 29 walks last season. That was a 6.8 BB %. That’s not really very good. He doesn’t strike out that much, I’ll agree.
Fine, I was wrong about that. The other two points still stand.
How do you become “on the WRONG side of 30”, when the guys not even 30?????
(The “wrong side” is +35)
Cool, it’s good to see Solarte getting a deal. He’s a good player to keep around during the rebuild, even though he might be slow and he doesn’t have the upside of someone like Myers. Regardless, he plays with a lot of heart and the Padres will make good use of him.
I have been torn on Solarte all off season. On one side, he is a decent player who should have been able to get the Padres a decent return to help with the rebuild. On the other hand, he seems like a great club house guy, while producing on the field, who should be good to have around to help out the young guys coming up the next few years. Plus with what he and his family went through last year, the soft side of me kind of hoped the Padres would keep him around for some stability in his family’s life. This is a good deal for both sides, don’t over think it everyone.
This is only a good deal for Solarte if it comes with a NTC or if it is for a lot more money than we might have expected on here. He doesn’t get anything from this deal that he wouldn’t have gotten if he had just taken the arbitration route.
Wow. Very team friendly considering his production. Especially when the second half of the deal is in club options.
Yeah I don’t understand this at all from his standpoint. This was the whole reason to use Fantex.
Everyone here is puzzled by this contract, (myself included) but could it possibly be that he is a great guy, who loves this team, and wants them to be successful above his own greed? The contract gives him more than enough money to support his family, it keeps him in a great city, and allows him to do more or less what he wants. Maybe, just maybe, he is just not a greedy son of a gun like almost every other MLB player… money isn’t everything to everyone…
“The contract gives him more than enough money to support his family,”
Which he would have gotten anyway even without the contract.
“it keeps him in a great city,”
No it doesn’t. If Preller gets an offer he likes for Solarte he’ll trade him in a heartbeat. This deal does make Solarte more valuable in trades than before.
“and allows him to do more or less what he wants.”
Actually this limits his freedom. The Padres control him for one more year now than they would have before and if he continues to grow as a player has forfeited the right to get what he’s worth in arbitration.
Let’s all be realistic. Solarte is 29, a good hitter, but a below average infielder. On a good team he’s merely a jack of all trades backup player.. And never forget that beyond his immediate familly, his $ likely also might go to his parents, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, etc. etc.. And injury is a financial catastrophe.. We’re not all milllenials with rich parents.
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“On a good team he’s merely a jack of all trades backup player.”
NO HE IS NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He’s coming off an .808 OPS season. That’s easily good enough to start on any team! And while his fielding isn’t anything to write home about he’s at least passable at 3rd base. He’s not going to embarrass you in the field like say, Matt Kemp.
Journeymen
I hate to be blunt, but who cares what any of us think about this deal? Solarte is obviously happy with it. The Pades are obviously happy with it. That should be the end of it.
Solarte won’t be there when and if this team ever competes for now ok